The Islamic group purchased the 38,000-square-foot building from the Farmington school district in January for $1.1 million with the intent of using the property as a mosque and community center.

Firas Nashef, an ICA board member, says he just wants to be a good neighbor. He said he understands the community's concerns about having a new tenant in the building.

"Every time you bring something new, you expect it to bring concern," he said. "If I had a house, I would want to know how it's going to affect me."

Nashef, also a township resident, said he visited with homeowners nearby the property in an attempt to gauge residents' concerns. He said additional traffic and the mosque's effect on property values were the two biggest concerns voiced.

The building has gone unused for the past two years, by the group's estimate. The township board recently took issue with the group's financing, inquiries which were deemed "Islamophobic" by Dawud Walid, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also known as CAIR.

"There's a lot of rhetoric and fear stoked up in our country because of 9/11," Walid said. "There's a context to those statements. There's an inference when people mention American Muslims and Saudi Arabia."

Township Planning Commission member Jim Manna defended the township's right to question the Islamic group. He called the group's renovation plans "beautiful."

"People are making this an Islamic thing rather than a business decision," he said. "We question every development that comes up."

"He's just trying to reassure residents this is a neighborhood association," Nashef said. "He was asking us to inform him about the ICA.

"I haven't heard any backlash."

The ICA, which currently occupies a smaller building in Franklin, which it has owned for nearly 30 years, was looking for a convenient property near the homes of its congregation members. It also was looking for a building to house Friday prayer service, something missing from its current location and a key practice in Islam, Nashef said. The group abstains from such services in the Franklin building because its K-8 school is in session during the mid-afternoon ritual.

The size of the current location has forced the group to rent additional space for its activities.

"It's very difficult to continue to grow," Nashef said.

The Islamic group also looked at other properties in the area over a nearly two-and-a-half-year span, he said.

It will take two to three years to complete renovations of the building, but Nashef said the ICA will operate through the work, which includes demolishing a portion of the building to erect the mosque.

The township's Wetlands Committee was expected to visit the site, at 29410 14 Mile Road, on Sunday, Sept. 9.

Nashef reiterated that neighbors have the right to voice concerns and engage in respectful conversation, which the community has done thus far, he said.

"Everyone has a right to be heard."

Paul Kampe is the online coordinator for The Oakland Press. Email him at paul.kampe@oakpress.com and follow him on Twitter @PaulKampe. For the latest news alerts, text "OPnews" to 22700 to have alerts sent to your cellphone. *Msg & Data Rates May Apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.